So I'm thinking about buying all band, all mode hf rig. I currently have the icom 718, and am pretty pleased with it, but would like to have higher power 6/2/440 capabilities rather than just using my HT (icom t90a). Anyways what do you all think is a better rig - the Yaesu 857d or Icom 706 mkIIg? I would like it to be easy to move so I can use it both mobile and as an additional base station at times.

Suppose it depends if you want a standard built in DSP vs an add on in the 706, you'll certainly pay more for the 706Mk2 G; if your into AM the 706 will put 40 watts out, compared to the Yaesu's 25. TBH I can only go by my 897, the 857s bigger brother, but I too had to choose between the two, I am pleased I went with the Yaesu, and I made that decision in part on other forum members experiences with the yaesu flavor. I haven't been disappointed.

Homophobe....... I'd hit it like a fucking screen door in a Goddamn tornado. When you get all old and sickly my round arsed friend, you will learn to take advantage of situations as they arise or do without. Does that make me a fag? Dunno.....don't care........but it means I am not going to do without....... -- FatherJack - 3/29/2012

I like my 706MkIIg, But it really depends on which one you like. I believe they are about equal performance wise. If you get the chance to play with them side by side then do so and see which strike your fancy.

I will always place the mission first.
I will never accept defeat.
I will never quit.
I will never leave a fallen commrade

FT-857D FTW, take it from a guy that actually uses his. I have had mine for about a month and because it sounds so bloody brilliant on the air, I am responsible for the sale of two others by HRO. A friend, KG4RUE who works in WI but lives in SC heard me check in on the SC SSB Net one evening and had ordered his because of the way mine sounded, before the close of the net.

I agree that the 706 series is a fine rig, but a lot less user friendly and is, well, decade + old technology now, isn't it.

FatherJack wrote:FT-857D FTW, take it from a guy that actually uses his. I have had mine for about a month and because it sounds so bloody brilliant on the air, I am responsible for the sale of two others by HRO. A friend, KG4RUE who works in WI but lives in SC heard me check in on the SC SSB Net one evening and had ordered his because of the way mine sounded, before the close of the net.

I agree that the 706 series is a fine rig, but a lot less user friendly and is, well, decade + old technology now, isn't it.

I've never seen or played with a FT-857, I bought my 706 for 400.00 2 years ago. The price was right. What I really want is a Elecraft k-3

KC8TCQ

Ric Burney wrote:Considering July 4th food, July 5th should be celebrated as National Ass Honk Day.

My friend and I had a similar quandry, between the 706, the 857..... After doing a little hands-on with the 857 and the 706. Money was a big object, those 2 radios were in the same price bracket, so we were really torn between a few bucks and functionality, both radios were menu driven for a majority of options, but the yaesu seemed friendlier, the 706 had a bit more power than the 857, the 857 was a bit shorter in stance, but neither really offered much for filters in stock trim, we really wanted the radio to be at it's best for hf use, although both radios had thier bonuses, they were both an empty shell of a true hf rig, as we dug deeper, we'd learned that the filter purchases would add a minimum of $400 or more to the final tag price !!!!!!!!

We left the store with an IC-7000, $1300, and we had all of the filters and gizmos that our little hearts desired, from the moment we dumped it out on the table.....

IMHO, try not to rule out the 7k if you like radios with filters, as well as an adjustable notch filter, continuously variable output power, on-screen temp gauge, and a real-time band scope, the 7k turned out to be a lot of radio, more than we had previously expected.....

If the 7k isn't an option, my next choice would be the Yaesu, unless you like that mars mod thingy, than I'd look deeper, rumor has it that the 857 isn't very receptive, not something that the average person would undertake....

My .75

Bill.

The very existence of flame-throwers proves that some time, somewhere, someone said to themselves, You know, I want to set those people over there on fire, but I'm just not close enough to get the job done. -George Carlin

The 706 is a decent radio for sure, but a lot of the menus and digging for the menu options can be a little intimidating at times. Also... the 706 is not MARS friendly either. It'll modify and transmit... but the moment you get outside of the ham bands the power output falls off sharply. To the point that you are only doing 5 watts max at 153 mhz.

JAYMZ

"To grow, you must be willing to let your present and future be totally unlike your past. Your history is not your destiny." -- Alan Cohen.